LineageOS 16: Release date and device list (OnePlus 3/3T/5/5T, Galaxy S7/S7 Edge, Mi 5, Redmi 4, etc. added)

At the very dawn of the Android OS, a group of developers wanted to get more out of their mobile devices than they were capable of. Cyanogen along with a band of enthusiastic contributors created CyanogenMod, one of the most popular custom ROMs ever created for the Android OS.

While having a great run, CyanogenMod is now no longer among us, and the project was killed off after Cyanogen Inc. went under. But with enough support from the users and developers willing to do the hard work, it has been rebooted as LineageOS.

Now we may soon see a new version of the ROM – LineageOS 16 – which will be based on Android 9 Pie. Right now, LineageOS 15.1 is available and is based on Android 8.1.

Related:

• When will my OnePlus device get Android 9 Pie?
• When will Samsung launch the Android 9 Pie beta program?
• Xiaomi Android 9 Pie release date and news
• Huawei Android 9 Pie device list
• Motorola device list for Android 9 Pie update

LineageOS 16 device list and availability

You can download the LineageOS 16 ROM for the devices given in the table below. This device list will be updated as more and more ROMs become available. Download Gapps from the source page if given, otherwise simply hit up our Android 9 Pie Gapps download page given right below.

• Download Android 9 Pie Gapps

Note: Be sure to read and follow the requirements (if any) mentioned at the source page. You may need to install the latest version of TWRP recovery or any other file as may be mentioned on the source page linked above (we have tried to highlights such stuff in the pre-requisite section above, too).

LineageOS 16 release date

• Android Pie AOSP now available
• First official LineageOS 16 build may arrive in October 2018
• Unofficial builds available for some devices already (see table above)
  • OnePlus 6
  • OnePlus 3 and OnePlus 3T
  • Samsung Galaxy S7 and S7 Edge
  • Xiaomi Mi A1
  • More devices in the table above

With the release of Android 9 Pie, LineageOS 16 is expected to be the next big thing in the world of Android custom ROMs. Taking a look at the timeline, Android 8.0 Oreo was released back in August 2017, after the developer preview came out in March 2017. However, the updated Android 8.1 update was rolled out much later in December 2017, starting with Google Pixel and Nexus devices. In comparison, it took LineageOS 15.1, which is a forked version of Android 8.1 Oreo, around 85 days to be released.

Considering that Android Pie AOSP is now available (beginning August 6), it could be several weeks before we hear about LineageOS 16. Even then, the early versions would be restricted to a handful of devices, like the OnePlus 6, OnePlus 5 and 5T, or OnePlus 3 and 3T, the Moto G sets, etc. but definitely not devices such as the Galaxy S9, Galaxy S8, Galaxy S7, Galaxy Note 9, Note 8, HTC U12+, LG G7, etc. that are tightly controlled by their OEMs.

So a stable release should be expected around December 2018 or in early 2019, but thanks to Project Treble, we can still expect LineageOS 16 to arrive in early-to-mid Q4 2018.

Related: Android 9 Pie GSI download

You can also download the Android 9 update unofficially (like the LineageOS 16 ROM) if an Android 9 GSI system image — linked above — is compatible with your device. See the GSI device list here. Check the link above to see installation instructions.

Will my device get LineageOS 16?

• Golden rule: If your device has LOS 15.1/15.0, it will probably get LOS 16.0 too
• Samsung flagships aren’t getting much LineageOS love over past few years
• Stock UI-featuring handsets like those of Motorola, OnePlus, Nokia, etc. stand great chance to be the first devices to run LineageOS 16 ROM
• Nexus, Pixel, and LG devices should get LOS 16 too

It wouldn’t be a fair comparison to make if we considered the device list of CyanogenMod to be equal to LineageOS. At its prime, CyanogenMod supported thousands of Android devices at the least, while LineageOS has far fewer numbers. While the official list of LineageOS 16 devices is not yet out, you can expect all of the LineageOS 15.1 devices to be supported by default. The list will only keep growing as more devices and Android OEMs join the party.

Nonetheless, LineageOS 15.1 is already at an impressive total of more than 250+ devices for over 20 different Android OEMs. The list already covers popular devices from OnePlus, Google, Samsung, Sony, LG, Xiaomi, Huawei, and Motorola, among others.

Related: Android 9 Pie rollout – expected dates and news

Why LineageOS 16?

For most of us who are looking over to custom ROMs for software support, it’s because our Android OEM has left us high and dry. LineageOS offers a chance of survival to older devices with decent hardware to still be worth the money we put into them when we first bought them.

Even for those who have relatively new devices from the likes of Xiaomi, Huawei, and Samsung, the advent of a pure Android experience can be compelling. Since LineageOS is meant to be a lean-and-mean version of Google’s stock Android, you get a crisp user interface with none of the unnecessary fluff of the MIUI ROM, for instance.

A good example is the OnePlus One, which is still kicking after three years of being out of software support. Thanks to LineageOS 15.1, you can install Android 8.1 Oreo on the device right now. More importantly, since Android Pie AOSP is now available, LineageOS might be the only way to get the software on an Android OEM device at the earliest.

Related:

• Android 9 Pie features
• App actions
• Digital Wellbeing

Why not LineageOS 16?

While the advantages of this custom ROM far outweigh the disadvantages, you still have to consider the repercussions. In comparison to the massive support that CyanogenMod had, LineageOS is not widely supported. Fewer devices mean fewer supporters, which affects everything from update support to software availability.

It is a relief that you can use services like Samsung KNOX and Android Pay with LineageOS since the custom ROM does not root your device by default. However, you still have to unlock the bootloader and install a custom recovery, both of which will void the warranty of your Android device.

Are you excited for the release of LineageOS 16 with Android Pie this year, or would you rather wait it out and enjoy the official stable release through your device manufacturer? Share your thoughts in the comments section down below.

Related: Android 9 Pie release dates

• Sony Android Pie release date
• Huawei Android 9 Pie device list
• Samsung Android Pie device list

Project Treble compatible LineageOS 16 ROM

A Treble based LineageOS 16.0 ROM is now available.

As on August 29, the ROM is available as a test build. Which means that you can’t rely on this ROM as a daily driver, which to be fair, is the case with nearly all the Android Pie ROMs, including the Android 9 GSI ROM.

The ROM is compatible with all the devices that support Project Treble (device list here).